Thor Industries Opens up Elkhart Headquarters

It’s official. As of Wednesday (Aug. 14) morning Thor Industries Inc. is centered in the heart of Elkhart, Ind.

“We’re proud to be part of the downtown area,” said Bob Martin, Thor president and CEO standing next to company co-founder and chairman Peter Orthwein. According to a report by The Elkhart Truth, the company and the Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting to officially open the headquarters of one of the top players in the recreational vehicle industry.

“The building had been empty for six years,” Martin said of the site at 601 E. Beardsley Ave., a spot with a view of the St. Joseph River and Island Park. “A lot of people in the community had noticed that it was empty here. People have known it as the Coachmen building or something like that from many years ago, so we wanted to put our own touches on it. We’re very proud of all this.”

Kyle Hannon, president of the chamber, called the building “a monument to corporate headquarters in Elkhart, it’s a monument to the RV industry.”

Dick Moore, Elkhart’s mayor, welcomed Orthwein, and said, “We recognize Thor, of course, as a leader in the RV industry and how important it is to stimulating our economy with all of the jobs that you do.”

Moore also said, “We’re just so very pleased that you’re here.”

“We’re proud to be part of Elkhart, we’re proud to be part of the community and we’re proud to have our corporate offices in downtown Elkhart,” said Martin, who grew up in Elkhart and Bristol.